Wedding season is coming up and, if you’re a bride-to-be planning the big day, you want everything to be just right - down to the last detail.  The pictures here are from my own wedding, which looked and felt just like a fairy tale to me and was certainly one of the best, most memorable days of my life.  All of the planning, work and preparation was totally worth it for that one special day. 

Of course, the centerpiece of any wedding is THE dress, but brides need the perfect accompaniment to complete their look: a  beautiful pair of bridal shoes.  It’s always been highly popular to wear head-to-toe white and match the shoes to the gown, but I love that today’s brides are getting increasingly creative with their look - especially when adding a dose of color, like Gwen Stefani did with pink in her Dior gown and singer Pink with black in her Monique Lhuillier.  Even if you wear a classic white dress, you can always opt for a nice pop of color in your shoes in lieu of metallic and white options.  My own gown was floor-length, so my shoes didn’t really show, but of course I had to find myself a pretty heel to wear anyway:

I really did love these silver flower-adorned ankle-strap heels (sorry for the small pics) and while many of us sacrifice comfort for style from time to time, I have to admit these ended up being quite uncomfortable - even for a nice stroll down the aisle - and I ended up ditching them during the reception for a pair of sequined blue flip flops.  There’s no harm in doing something like that if your dream wedding shoe is less than comfy, but here’s a word of advice: Don’t forget (like I did) to walk around in your shoes before the wedding, break them in a bit and bring a back-up if you don’t think you can dance (or walk) the night away in them. 

As it turns out, I wore my wedding shoes only once and then my sister wore them for her own wedding a few years later as her “Something Borrowed” item.  So far, they seem to have brought us both plenty of luck and happiness! 

Now, let’s look at some currently available wedding shoe options in a wide variety of styles and price points for anyone planning their own bridal look (or for brides who may need a little shoe inspiration!).  I think these bridal shoes will make the very first step into married life completely gorgeous:

Metallic bridal shoes:

The very princess-esque Pelle Moda Indulge in pewter, bronze or black for $184.95 with free overnight shipping at Endless.

The ALDO Vanancio in silver or black for $90 at ALDO.  Coupon code 99029324 takes 10% off until 1/30/10.

The glam Pelle Moda Verbena in gold, pewter, silver or black for $184.95 with free overnight shipping at Endless.

The Pelle Moda Limbo in pewter, bronze, black or champagne for $154.90 - $154.95 depending on size/color selection at Amazon.

Glitter bridal shoes:

H by Halston Stella silver glitter pumps for $79.95 exclusively at Bakers Shoes.  These are also available in gold glitter, multi glitter and brown, white or black leather.

Steve Madden Caryssag for $129.95 with free shipping at Zappos or for $139.95 with free shipping via code SMFREESHIP at Steve Madden.

The Colorifics Gala in silver glitter or gold multi-colored glitter for $56.45 at Shoebuy.  Get another 20% off with coupon code BDAY, making them $45.16 with free shipping.  Coupon expiration is unknown.

The Stuart Weitzman Avalon for $355 at Jildor.

A style Taylor Swift once wore, the Report Signature Carleton silver glitter heel, which is available in limited sizes at Heels.com for $179.99.  Coupon code NEWYEAR takes 15% off $150, making them $152.99 with free shipping, until 2/15/10.

The Miss Me Whitney for $39.95 with free overnight shipping at Endless.com.

White and ivory bridal shoes:

Pre-order the Martinez Valero Ophelia with rhinestone bow for $175 at the Martinez Valero website.  It comes in white or ivory and is expected to ship in February.

Also at the Martinez Valero website is the Martinez Valero Olivia in white, black or ivory with passementerie trim.

The ruffled RSVP Henny in ivory for $73.83 with free shipping at Zappos.

Here’s a fabulous discount on the Cole Haan Ceci Air Rose Slingback.  It’s normally $428, but marked down to $192 at Neiman Marcus.  The other stores I’ve seen that carry it still list it at full price right now.

A stand-out in floral, the Nina Critia in ivory, white and nine other color options (hello, bridesmaids!) for $99 at ninashoes.com.

The sophisticated Badgley Mishka Randall in white, silver or black for $200 with free shipping at Piperlime.

Champagne & pink wedding shoes:

Badgley Mischka Randee in pink, gold, black or white for $215 with free shipping at Piperlime.

Paris Hilton Senorita in pink, red or black for $93 with free shipping at Zappos.  Also available at Shoes.com in gold, pewter, grey or black for $97 with another 15% off using coupon code SNOW until 1/31/10, making them $82.45. 

Luichiny Gim Me in champagne for $68.95 with free overnight shipping at Endless.  Also available in teal, black, red, brown and purple.

A statement heel for a statement bride, the Pelle Moda Bryce in champagne or black for $127.16 with free shipping at Zappos.

Now, for any brides who want to fulfill their “Something Blue” requirement with a pair of blue bridal shoes, here are some options to consider:

Blue wedding shoes:

*See more blue bridal shoes in a post added 7/6/10*

Fan of Sex and the City?  Get Carrie Bradshaw’s wedding style with a Manolo Blahnik Something Blue knockoff, the Martinez Valero Zenith in blue.  It’s offered for a really great price at DSW, where it’s $79.95 (black and silver also available).  Update: DSW is sold out in blue, but Zappos has a few sizes left for $164 and Sears has several sizes for $154.99.  For another another Manolo Blahnik Something Blue lookalike, try the RSVP Zaza for $99 at Zappos.

Here are more wedding shoes in blue:

Fergie Safra in blue, black or red for $89 with free shipping at Amazon.

MIX NO. 6 Onyx in blue or black for $39.95 at DSW.  Update: DSW members get $10 off $49 by logging in to their account and getting the coupon code by 2/3/10, plus get free shipping on $35 using code NEWYR10 until 2/8/10.

Paris Hilton Regal in blue or grey for $95 at Shoes.com. Get 15% off with coupon code SNOW until 1/31/10, making them $80.75 with free shipping.

Update: I had to add this pair for a soft, pastel blue bridal shoe option.  It’s the Martinez Valero Vida for $153 with free shipping at Zappos.

To all brides in 2010, congratulations to you and I hope you’re wedding day is amazing in every way!

I previously posted about the boots Miley Cyrus wears in Sex and the City 2 in the cameo scene she shares with Kim Cattrall’s character, Samantha Jones.  They wear the exact same dress on the red carpet and the same knee-high boots, which are either the Bebe Jenna or the Dolce Vita Marilyn.  I’m not sure which one considering Bebe says on Twitter that it’s the Jenna and Dolce Vita says on their blog that it’s the Marilyn.  I tend to lean toward Dolce Vita, but they look virtually the same, so it’s hard to say.  However, the $248 Bebe Jenna is currently sold out at Bebe (coming back soon) and it’s a bit out of budget for some of us.  The same for the Dolce Vita Marilyn, which is currently priced from $207 up to $365.  However, we do have look-alikes for both of these pairs that cost way less.

Urban Originals has the Fahrenheit Kamy (pictured above) priced at just $26.99 in five color options.

There’s also the Bamboo Beat from Urban Originals, which is $31.50 and comes in four color options:

So, even if you can’t afford the exact boot seen in the movie, you can still get that fab Sex and the City style for much, much less.

Happy New Year’s!  With 2010 mere hours away, it’s that time of year when everyone thinks about the upcoming year and what it holds.  Of course, we also like to take a moment to look back at 2009 and all of the crazy, interesting and otherwise memorable events that happened throughout the year.  Shoes are no exception.  There’s always something new going on in the world of footwear and we definitely had plenty to talk about in the past year.  So, before we jump into 2010, let’s take one more look at some of the notable shoe news of 2009.  I’m also going to share a few of my own shoe purchases.  Each can be classified as a high or a low, as you will see here:

High: The number of survey respondents that reportedly remember their first pair of shoes over their first kiss, reported by Telegraph UK.  92% off 1,000 women say they remember the first shoes they bought with their own money, but less than 2 in 3 (which I guess would be around 67% or less) remembered the name of the person they first smooched.  Personally, I’m a bit skeptical.  As much as I love shoes, I’m a little vague about the first pair I bought.  I had a part-time job at 16 and, back then, I often had the luxury of devoting entire paychecks (albeit small ones) to clothes and shoes.  I think it may have been these brown leather MIA platform sandals that I loved and wore and wore until I could wear them no more, but I’m not certain.  I definitely remember the name of the person I first kissed though, so I must be in the minority on this one.

Low: The amount Titan Industries Inc. reportedly paid to buy shoe company Penny & Kenny Shoes LLC, who filed for bankruptcy earlier this year.  There was a motion filed to sell all company assets for $150,000, including the Penny Loves Kenny trademark.  While that’s a lot of money for the average individual, it seems like a bargain for Titan, whose mix of brands include Betsey Johnson, L.A.M.B., Bebe and Badgley Mischka.  Penny Loves Kenny will provide a “purely juniors” brand to their lineup, something they lacked before.

High: Despite a struggling economy, people are still buying shoes.  There are a few theories on why we’re still seeing strong sales in this area: shoes are generally considered more of a necessity than things like new handbags or dresses, they are often more moderately priced and have a lower cost-per-wear than other purchases and they can instantly spruce up an older outfit.  Of course, they also make us feel good and women “get an emotional lift from shoe shopping in a way they do not when trying on jeans and cocktail dresses.”  Eileen Lewis of Zappos also notes that many consumers are purchasing shoes in bright colors like red and yellow, which can provide an uplifting boost.

Low: The infamous Barbie cankle comment made by Christian Louboutin, who has partnered with Mattel to “serve as a yearlong godfather to Barbie, not just rethinking her fashion wardrobe and physical attributes, but also art directing her in different lifelike situations”.  Actually, I don’t think he ever used the word “cankle”, but a Louboutin spokesperson said “He found her ankles were too fat,” which sparked a frenzy across the net.  Many Barbies laughed it off, but unfortunately one Barbie didn’t react so well to the news:

Her beau Ken wasn’t too happy either…

Louboutin later clarified, saying “…fat ankles she didn’t have, she just could have had thinner ankles.  That’s all.” and Barbie was somewhat consoled.  Luckily, all was completely forgiven when she saw the Barbie shoes he designed and the ultra-pink pair he made for real-life dolls, the Christian Louboutin Claudia:

High: Speaking of Louboutin, I’d say the shoe of the year would have to be his Bridget Strass:

It’s been seen on a multitude of celebrities, featured in the upcoming Sex and the City 2 movie, worn by Kandi on The Real Housewives of Atlanta reunion and by Jennifer Lopez in the AMA and MTV Music Video Awards performances of her song “Louboutins”.  This shoe is definitely hot, for good reason. 

Update: Check out the Christian Louboutin Bridget lookalike shoe that I found.

Low: J.Lo’s said new song “Louboutins”, which I’m not really feeling.  Theoretically, a song about Louboutins could work, but the execution of this one seems a bit off.  All I seem to hear is ”part-time lover” mentioned a few times, followed by a repetitive string of “Louboutins” - 45 times to be exact.  It’s the type of song with the potential to get hopelessly stuck in your head.  Apparently, Christian Louboutin loves the song and was flattered to hear about it, but I have to wonder - was this song simply born out of Lopez’s love for the shoes or was it a brand placement deal struck between her and Louboutin?  After all, having a song featuring his brand name would serve to further entrench his shoes into pop culture, thus furthering his quest for world domination:

Yes, I’m totally speculating, but you never know.

High: The buzz generated by Alexander McQueen Spring 2010 shoes, which had to be the most talked about shoes of the year.  I’m sure it’s hard for designers to continuously come up with new and different shoes that stand out, but these certainly did.  Although they don’t seem very wearable in real life, it’s no surprise that extreme dresser Lady Gaga was one of the first to don them, in her video for “Bad Romance”.

High: The number of celebrities jumping on the shoe design bandwagon.  Victoria Beckham, Heidi Klum, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (Olsenboye for JCPenney and Elizabeth and James), Dinah Lohan, Fergie, Nicole Richie and more celebs either started shoe lines or announced them in 2009.  Plus, Britney Spears promoted for Candies and designers like Christian Siriano and Jimmy Choo created lines for budget-friendly Payless and H&M, respectively.  Now we have news that Lindsay Lohan will be expanding her 6126 leggings label to include a full-line of apparel, cosmetics, handbags, jewelry and, yes, shoes.

Now, here’s a few shoes I purchased this year that I’d like to share:

Low: The price I paid for this Betsey Johnson Layla heel, which I adore.  They originally retailed for $225, but I happened to spot them on clearance at Victoria’s Secret, inconspicuously listed as “floral sandal”.  They were listed for $89.99 at the time and they had a 20% off coupon, which I missed, but they were later marked down to $79.99, which was much lower than I ever saw anywhere else.  I opted for the black version, figuring it would work with more outfits, but I still kind of covet the pink pair.  Unfortunately, it appears they are sold out everywhere online.

High: The amount of shoe love I have for this Naughty Monkey Resurrection heel, which I purchased in champagne.  I got a good deal on these as well because Shoemall briefly had a 30% off coupon, which reduced them from $74.99 to $52.47.  They are really pretty, particularly the detail on the back, and they are still available (sizes are very limited in champagne and red).  Coupon code 15AMAZON takes 15% off.

High: My neon yellow shoes from Wet Seal.  Ok, I admit it, I actually got these because I was inspired by an extra wearing a similar pair in the N.E.R.D. video “Everyone Nose (All The Girls Standing In The Line For The Bathroom)”.  I had a hard time finding anything like them at the time, but spotted this pair on clearance at Wet Seal for a mere $5, so I figured I had nothing much to lose.  I didn’t expect the quality to be high or anything, but the main issue is they are so, so uncomfortable, like right when you put them on.  I also tried them on with a few things and nothing seemed to look right.  Thus, I haven’t worn them at all.  So, why am I calling this a high?

There is one little shoe princess who has a penchant for raiding closets and happens to love this pair.  It tends to be the one she picks out nearly everytime she feels like dressing up, which I suppose is because they are super-bright and shiny and very yellow, which immediately attracts her eye.  Of course, she usually wears them for a very short time and abandons them after they slow her down a little too much.  But, I must say, it’s been priceless to watch her clomp around the house in them.

I happened to try them on with some black leggings and it finally worked.  Someday, if the right mood and occasion somehow meet, I’ll probably wear them…just as long as I’m not doing any walking.

I hope everyone has a fabulous New Year and here’s to plenty more shoe buzz in 2010!

I don’t know about you, but I’m totally looking forward to the Sex and the City movie sequel, which is filming now and set to release in May 2010.  I’m a fan of the original HBO series and found the first movie very entertaining, so I’ll certainly be checking out Sex and the City 2.  There have been rumors circulating about a Miley Cyrus cameo in the movie and, as recent pictures have proven, the rumor is true.  Miley Cyrus and Kim Cattrall dress as twins in a red-carpet scene where Kim’s character Samantha Jones runs into Miley (playing herself), who is wearing the exact same Matthew Williamson dress and tall, strappy boots at the event (only the accessories differ).  Of course, we all need to know whose boots they are wearing.

As you can see from the close-up, the boot appears to be the Dolce Vita Marilyn.  They are widely available now, but I imagine they’ll sell out pretty quickly as more people see the photos and, eventually, the movie.  If you want a pair for yourself, check out these places:

Dolce Vita for $299.95 in black or desert (Update: Sold out)

Amazon for $365.90 - $365.95 in black, marrone or desert.  Update: The price range is now lowered to $256 - $365 depending on size and color selected (limited sizes available).

Endless for $365.95 in black, marrone or desert.  Update: The prices now start at $274 and go up to $365 (limited sizes available).

Zappos for $367 in desert or black (Update: Sold out)

80’s Purple for $365 in black only (Update: Sold out)

Victoria’s Secret for $299 on clearance (Update: Sold out)

We also have another boot with an uncanny resemblance to the pair Miley and Kim wear in this scene.  This is the Bebe Jenna Strappy Boot in black, taupe or gray and it’s priced at $248.  It’s not available right now at Bebe (unless you are size 5 and want the taupe version), but it looks like it may be at a later date.  You can opt to receive an email if it becomes available (just select your size in red to see this option).  With all the hype this movie will generate, I imagine they’ll likely re-stock it.  Update: It’s now back in stock at Bebe.  Get 15% off $100 using coupon code 15OFF100 until 12/24/09.  Update 2: It’s sold out again, but sign up to receive an email when they get more.

Movie photo from MTV.com